For example, an ecological drive evaluation device described in Patent Literature 1 has been known as an evaluation device of this type. The ecological drive evaluation device described in Patent Literature 1 is a device that evaluates an effort performed by a user (i.e., an occupant as a driver) to achieve ecological drive of a vehicle.
More specifically, the ecological drive evaluation device acquires respective physical quantities associated with a vehicle and measured by in-vehicle devices, such as an engine rotation speed signal. Based on the respective physical quantities, the ecological drive evaluation device detects whether the vehicle is in an idle reduction state or whether the vehicle is in an energy-saving traveling state.
The ecological drive evaluation device having detected these states measures duration of each state. The ecological drive evaluation device having measured the duration evaluates an effort performed by the user to achieve ecological drive, based on a measurement result of the duration. A result of the evaluation is expressed as an ecological drive evaluation index, for example. This ecological drive evaluation index indicates a level of an effort performed by the user to achieve environmentally friendly driving. The index is higher when a sufficient level of effort is performed.